Is holiday stress giving you a case of the bah humbugs? You’re certainly not alone! North Americans report experiencing increasing stress levels approaching the holidays, resulting in muscle tension, fatigue, and burnout. Thankfully, there are things you can do to immediately reduce stress and tension and find ways to enjoy the holiday season again.

According to survey results outlined by newswire.ca, even as of 2018 (before COVID complicated things), one-third of Canadians were already feeling more holiday-related stress than they had reported 5-years prior. These survey results reflect outcomes from other, similar surveys conducted in Canada and the United States, revealing a trend: the holidays are becoming increasingly stressful instead of joyous. A lot of it comes from feeling physically, emotionally, and financially overspent. 

What’s especially concerning are the potential health ramifications of stress. All this stress goes somewhere, resulting in restlessness, sleeplessness, burnout, skin and digestion issues, headaches, and muscle tension.

Signs & Symptoms of Holiday Stress

• Lack of enthusiasm or “holiday spirit.”
• Feeling overwhelmed by commitments and everything you think you need to do. 
• Loss of interest in holiday activities you typically enjoy doing. 
• Feelings such as guilt and dread when considering obligations. 
• Fearing disappointment or disaster. 
• Experiencing muscle pain, tightness and/or tension (notably in the back, neck, and shoulders)
• Feeling buried in tasks and loose ends.
• Feeling tired but wired, even after a good night’s sleep.

Common Causes of Holiday Stress

Additional survey results reveal that one the most common causes of holiday stress is the feeling of having too much to do and not enough time or money to accomplish it all. Between holiday shopping, wrapping and decorating, cleaning the house, and preparing the perfect holiday meal and experience, it’s no wonder why more people are headed towards holiday season burnout.

Other contributing factors to holiday stress include:

• Feeling overstretched physically and financially.
• Concerns about family getting along well when everyone gets together. 
• Feeling obligated to attend and participate in holiday festivities.
• Experiencing feelings of guilt when turning down an invitation.
• Physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion from being “on” all of the time. 
• Fearing the holiday experience won’t live up to expectations. 
• Placing unrealistic expectations on yourself and others–trying to find the perfect gift and create an ideal holiday experience. 
• Overstimulation from crowded shops, traffic, lights, and music. 
• “When demands exceed our ability to cope.”

Treating & Preventing Holiday Season Burnout

Remember how fun and exciting the holiday season was for you as a kid? Recapturing some of that lightheartedness and fun again is possible, but it requires surrender: relinquishing the urge to “do more” and establishing coping effective coping strategies. You can start lowering stress by mitigating it at its source (as much as possible) while treating the symptoms. This could mean:

• Planning in advance how many obligations you will agree to: giving yourself permission to opt-out of some invitations and obligations. 
• Being more realistic about your time and energy: which may mean cutting back on shopping, baking, and decorating. 
• Sticking to a list and budget: Resist the temptation to go overboard to find the perfect gift for everyone. 
• Being realistic about expectations: basing your expectations on what family gatherings have been like, and remember that things don’t have to be perfect to be fun and meaningful. 
• Reserving time for rest: this year, find ways to make rest & relaxation part of the holiday celebrations. Something may have to give to make more time and space for rest, but no one will miss the extra string of lights or fussy side dish. 
• Asking for help and accepting support: For some people, asking for help is hard to do but worth it! Everyone benefits from having a bit of support. You can make your holiday workload lighter by delegating and adopting a teamwork approach. You can even make it fun by throwing a holiday decorating, tree trimming, or baking party with your kids or besties. 
• Making self-care a priority: You aren’t going to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm to share if you’re not replenishing your energy stores. Don’t scrooge when it comes to making time for self-care. This can include making time to decompress, maintaining good sleep-hygiene, fitting in some light exercise, and booking yourself a tension-releasing massage or acupuncture treatment. 

For a Much Needed Reprieve From Holiday Season Tension in Victoria, BC. 

Restore and recharge yourself this holiday season with registered massage therapy or acupuncture treatment that releases tension, increases circulation, and helps you feel well-rested and ready to shine again. Give our team of practitioners at Diversified Health Clinic a call today at (250) 382-0018 or book an appointment online.